Senior Research Associate
Date Posted: 09/17/2026
Req ID: 50234
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Department: Dept of Mechanical & Industrial Eng
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Existing Vacancy: Yes
About us
The Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering is home to about 60 professors leading research on a very broad range of topics. On the Industrial Engineering side, research areas include Operations Research, Information Engineering, Human Factors, and Applied Machine Learning, all of which seek to improve the systems we as humans rely on to navigate our world. On the Mechanical Engineering side, research areas include Robotics, Mechanics & Design, Materials, and Thermofluids, topics that are applied to applications including manufacturing, energy production, and bioengineering.
We are also home to about 2,000 very talented students: about 1,300 undergraduates are enrolled in the Industrial Engineering and in the Mechanical Engineering BASc programs. We have about 350 Master of Engineering (MEng) students, a professional program for students taking courses with us for a year or two. And we have about 350 MASc and PhD students, who work individually on research projects with a particular professor.
Description
The Bazylak group in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE) is looking to fill a Senior Research Associate position. The group carries out research in the areas of fuel cells, water electrolysis, carbon dioxide electrolysis, and fundamental transport in porous media.
The Senior Research Associate will work directly under the supervision of Prof. Aimy Bazylak of the MIE Department on projects related to clean electrochemical energy conversion and fundamental transport in porous media.
The duties will include:
- developing and executing the research and commercialization vision with Prof. Bazylak to achieve publication and commercialization goals and knowledge dissemination;
- oversee the operation of a dynamic R&D group through tracking and monitoring research activities, maintaining project records for multiple research projects, and coordinating day-to-day project activities
- supervise students, postdoctoral fellows, and coordinate their research activities within research streams
- writing grant and funding applications and patent applications including verifying the accuracy and completeness of financial elements in grant submissions, and drafting commercialization plans
- liaising and developing communication plans with various stakeholders to foster and maintain research collaborations
- preparing technical reports and presentations for partners and funders
- conducting systematic literature reviews, narrative crafting, editing and proofreading manuscripts, and analyzing research results
- managing revision and resubmission process, compiling and managing a list of scientific reviewers and academic journal editors, and ensuring materials that conform to specific editorial styles and accommodate target audiences
- designing visual elements, editing figures, and coordinating the preparation and distribution of promotional materials
- drafting reports related to publications such as editorial and tracking research impact including submission counts, year-over-year analyses, acceptance rates, lag time, and citation counts
- editing and coaching presentations for lab personnel, and delivering presentations at conferences
- laboratory management, overseeing the operation and maintenance and safety of all equipment and spaces, purchases, and supplies management
- The research associate is expected to publish both at conferences and in journals.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
- Ph.D in engineering, or in a relevant science. Experience in electrochemical energy conversion, including fuel cells and electrolyzers is mandatory.
Experience
- Minimum of five (5) years of experience in an academic setting, publishing academic manuscripts and knowledge of scientific journal guidelines.
- Experience in the review of scientific articles submitted to well-known academic journals.
- Experience drafting and developing grants, and other applications for research funding.
- Excellence in project management and ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
- Experience with supervising and managing teams.
Skills
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
- Able to work within a team structure and effectively communicate with colleagues at all levels.
- Ability to create documents and reports for a wide variety of audiences.
- Strong technical and analytical skills with an understanding of engineering concepts and methodologies.
- Ability to identify opportunities for research and collaboration with industrial and academic partners.
- Demonstrated success in writing and preparing manuscripts, presentations, reports, briefs, and scientific abstracts and manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and work environment.
- Demonstrated laboratory proficiency.
Other
- Electrochemical cell testing, including assembly, are required.
- Electrochemical cell performance characterization is required.
- Mechanical engineering designs skills and CAD drawing are assets.
- Well-developed interpersonal, communication and analytical skills.
- Ability to exercise tact and judgement in dealing with industrial, academic and other collaborative partners.
- Demonstrated initiative and technical ability.
- Detail-oriented.
- Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and work environment.
Closing Date: 09/25/2026, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Research Associate
Personnel Subarea: Research Assoc
Appointment Type: Grant - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: R02 -- Sr. Research Associates $62,617 - $109,373 - $127,112 (open)
Job Category: Engineering / Technical
Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.
As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.
Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.
The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.
If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.
Organization
Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. U of T's distinguished faculty, institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and academics from around the world.
U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits from both a scale almost unparalleled in North America and from the close-knit learning communities made possible through its college system and academic divisions. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse regions, U of T's vibrant academic life is defined by a unique degree of cultural diversity in its learning community.The University is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.
U of T is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers.
U of T is one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers.
Are you looking for a challenging, meaningful career in a supportive and diverse environment? We offer challenging work within an open environment that celebrates diversity in all its forms. Our focus is on creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains excellent employees through a combination of competitive compensation, favourable working conditions, opportunities for career growth and development and a unique organizational culture.
Employees have access to:
- Excellent health and dental benefits;
- On-site support for training and career development;
- Flexible work arrangements;
- Childcare subsidy;
- Tuition waivers;
- Scholarships and/or tuition waivers for dependants;
- Generous paid time off;
- Support on equity and diversity issues;
- On-site child care;
- University Pension Plan;
- Subsidized athletic facility membership;
- World-renowned libraries;
- Confidential counselling services;
- Parking and TTC Metropasses;
- Employee and Family Assistance Plan;
- Continued health benefits for pensioners.
Work where the world comes to think.
Work where the world comes to discover.
Work where the world comes to learn.
Opportunities exist for people from a wide range of backgrounds, ranging from recent graduates to experienced senior professionals.
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